AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 5

Today, 11th May, Wednesday, marks the third day I am on a higher dose of Olivenol capsules.
In the last 3-4 weeks, i made relatively good progress using the initial recommended dose of 2 caps 2 times a day. My score out of 10 went down from an 8 to a 4 in that period of time. However after week 3 onwards...everything remained the same...no more improvements what so ever. So I decided to write in to Olivenol and ask if I should increase my dose due to the fact that I am almost 270lbs and the recommended dose may have been more suited for an avarage guy.

A couple of days later i received a response from Olivenol, stating that I can increase my dosage to 2 capsules 3 times a day. So since Monday, 10th May, I am officially on a higher dosage. It may take a bit of time before I start feeling anymore improvements. I will of course update my progress as we go along. Only problem is, I was supposed to be on an 8 week program but since I have increased my dosages, the supply I have isn't going to last the 8 week duration....looks like I will have to give them a call to obtain more supplies.

On another note, I caught the flu bug too recently. What I noticed was how fast i recovered compared to my fellow bodybuilding friends. Some of them caught the flu bug a week before me and is still not clear of it yet. I guess this product did help with my immune system too to an extent. Not a bad product I must say...and I am the sort to NEVER praise a product if I'm not convinced enough! Olivenol..well I'd give a thumbs up for now.

So till I update you guys on my progress...it's back to my favourite playground...Ultimate Gym!

Where to buy this dictionary?!

My fellow friends and readers, today I received a damn funny email. In it had an attachment of a page from a dictionary...god knows which one but it is a solid one! I've yet to ever come across any dictionaries like this one.Just click on the picture and have a read...and a laugh!!!!

What is happening to this world...hahahahahaha!!!!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 4

Today, 5th May 2010 - Wednesday, not much to report as I've been down with the flu since Saturday. Seems like there's a bug in the air and so many people i know or noticed seems to be down with some kind of flu or cough. So I've decided to take this week off from training to recover before resuming my training.

Right now I would say that my joint pain level has plateaued ...I'm still at a 4 out of 10 in terms of pain in my joints. The knee and lower back still hurts now and then. I suspect that there are other factors serrounding the pain in these places. I'd probably make an appointment to see a friend of mine who is a Myotherapist. They basically locate trapped or pinched nerves and massages to release these trapped or pinched nerves....instant relieve!

However i won't rule out Olivenol capsules yet as I do feel it has done some justice to my other joint problem. Until next week when I'm back on track......keep lifting peeps!!!
Peace!

'Fish, olive oil, nuts good for eyes'

 'Fish, olive oil, nuts good for eyes'

WASHINGTON: Consumption of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such fish, nuts and olive oil may protect against development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a study has found.

Jennifer S.L. Tan, M.B.B.S., B.E., of Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues examined 2,454 participants in the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which began in 1992 to 1994.

At that time, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire that was analysed to determine their intake of various fatty acids. Digital photographs of the retina were used to assess the development of AMD five and 10 years later.

After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, eating one serving of fish per week was associated with a 31% lower risk of developing early AMD.

The researchers found that association was stronger among individuals with a lower intake of linoleic acid, an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils.

They also found that eating one to two servings of nuts per week was associated with a 35% lower risk of early AMD.

According to researchers, these fatty acids may protect the eyes by preventing the build-up of plaque in the arteries or reducing inflammation, blood vessel formation and oxygen-related cell damage in the retina.

"In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that increased intake of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and regular consumption of fish and/or nuts in the diet may protect against the development of early AMD," the authors said.

The study appears in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. 

Low-cal diet helps lose weight, ups immunity

People who follow a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lose weight, but also significantly enhance their immune response, concludes a new study.

The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between calorie restriction and immune markers among humans.

The lead researcher, Simin Nikbin Meydani, is director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., and also of the HNRCA's Nutritional Immunology Laboratory.


The study is part of the "Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy" trial conducted at the HNRCA. As people age, their immune response generally declines. Calorie restriction has been shown to boost these immune responses in animal models.

In the study, 46 overweight (but not obese) men and women aged 20 to 40 years were required to consume either a 30-per cent or 10-per cent calorie-restricted diet for six months.

Prior to being randomly assigned to one of the two groups, each volunteer participated in an initial 6-week period during which measures of all baseline study outcomes were obtained. All food was provided to participants.

For the study, the researchers looked at specific biologic markers. A skin test used called DTH (delayed-type hypersensitivity) is a measure of immune response at the whole body level.

The researchers also examined effects of calorie restriction on function of T-cells--a major type of white blood cell--and other factors on the volunteer's immune system.

DTH and T-cell response indicate the strength of cell-mediated immunity. One positive was that DTH and T-cell proliferative response were significantly increased in both calorie-restrained groups.

These results show for the first time that short-term calorie restriction for six months in humans improves the function of T-cells.
 

Organic food benefits a 'myth' 

Food grown without pesticides or herbicides should not be promoted as healthier because there’s no evidence to show that it contains more nutrients than conventionally grown food, claims a major University of Sydney study.

According to the author of the study, conducted by the School of Molecular Bioscience, consumers should stick with commercially grown fruit and vegetables because they are cheaper and, therefore, people could eat more of them.

To reach the conclusion, the study surveyed the international literature on organic produce, conducted laboratory analyses of Australian foods and surveyed Australian health professionals about organics.

The results will be published in the international science journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

"We conclude from the analysis that the nutrient composition differs very little between foods that are produced by organic and conventional methods," the report’s author, Associate Professor Samir Samman, told The Sunday Telegraph.

"Some health professionals believe that organic foods have more nutrients and elicit favourable effects on health. This advice is given despite the lack of scientific evidence to support it." 

Dietary proteins critical to overall health.

Dietary protein not only promotes health throughout life, but protein also plays an important role in weight loss

and muscle maintenance, reveal researchers from a variety of institutions.

A panel discussion including leading protein researcher Dr. Don Layman examined the research debate regarding favourable dietary protein needs for Americans.

Layman presented an analysis of studies on weight loss and optimal dietary protein intake for adults.

"A common myth is that adults are eating more protein than they need, but in actuality many individuals may not be meeting their protein needs, especially when they are consuming a lower-calorie diet as part of a weight loss plan. Another big problem is that the typical American diet generally does not include enough protein at breakfast," said Layman.

Research has shown that dietary protein intakes above the current recommendations are beneficial in maintaining muscle function and may help manage diseases such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

In fact, researchers recommend that adults consume 25-30 grams of protein at each meal.

Another recent study has also shown that eating a protein-rich egg breakfast helped males manage hunger and reduce calorie consumption throughout the day by 18 percent.

Experts from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Georgia and the University of Texas identified protein intake as a critical intervention strategy for the treatment and prevention of sarcopenia in the aging population.

Another study has found that older men and women who ate the most protein-rich foods lost approximately 40 per cent less muscle mass over three years compared to those who ate the least amount of protein.

The findings were presented at Experimental Biology 2010 in Anaheim, Calif.